


Maybe Just For You

by Judysupremus



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Not Beta Read, Short Chapters, just something sweet, short and fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28763715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Judysupremus/pseuds/Judysupremus
Summary: Soulmate AU in which there are many different bonds. Marinette and Damian are born unable to see color. The closer they get to one another the brighter and more vivid the colors become but there will always be a color missing until they meet.Title from Metric's No Lights On the Horizon as it was a big inspiration and I recommend giving it a listen.
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne
Comments: 21
Kudos: 341





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at a soulmate fic.  
> I really hope the summary makes sense.
> 
> Thank you for reading ❤️

Soulmates are funny things. The bonds differ from pair to pair and there are so many possibilities.

Marinette's soulmate bond hadn't bothered her until she was seven years old. She was visiting family in China with her Maman when she saw color for the first time. Maman had been combing through racks of dresses in hopes of finding one for her.

She's used to using touch to help her decide on what garments she likes. The feel of different fabrics and watching the ways skirts swoosh when she glides her hands along hems.

Her Maman is holding up two different qipao for her to choose between. She knows they're different colors and she's learned to choose between greys.

The shop slowly fills with color. It starts with soft pastels that gradually sharpens into deep rich visions. Marinette stands in awe as all the pretty dresses come to life around her. Maman is holding up a blue qipao with silver and white stitching and Marinette realizes that her eyes are the same color. It's absolutely stunning and Maman seems to be leaning towards that one.

But it's the other one that has Marinette in absolute fascination. It's a deep ruby red with gold accents and stitching and black trim. She decides red is her favorite color. It's vibrant and daring and shocking.

There are still a few garments that are grey. Later, she'll realize she couldn't see the color green.

Marinette points to the dress and boldly states that she wants the red one. Her Maman looks surprised but happy. She follows Marinette around the shop and answers her questions. She decides she likes pink as well - it's soft and sweet.

But Marinette tears up as the colors rapidly fades. Her soulmate is moving away quickly, faster than when they approached, until the shop is filled with colorless dresses again.

Seeing the sadness in her daughter's eyes, Sabine's heart melts with understanding. She buys the gorgeous red qipao that dazzled her daughter and does her best to help.

At the end of the trip Marinette is sad to leave but determined. She does not get to choose when and how she meets her soulmate and until now she was happy to wait. Dreaming of finding the one who would complete her was always her favorite pastime.

But now - now she craves the colors. She wants to see the pastel pink dress her parents bought her for her birthday instead of just feeling the smooth cotton. She wants to see the yellow of Chloe's new merino sweater - even if the girl is mean. Marinette wants to admire the new purple highlights in Juleka's hair and the vivid orange of Nathaniel's. 

More than anything Marinette wants to create something as gorgeous as the red qipao. Marinette wants to design. And her soulmate bond is keeping her from that dream.

****************

Damian's soulmate bond had appeared when he was eight years old. The bonds and their meaning were not something openly discussed in the league. He had heard hushed conversations and curt explanations from his mother. Damian had not given much thought outside of being grateful that it wasn't a weakness he exhibited.

A mission with his mother to China shocked him. Slinking along behind Talia his mind had only been on the job at hand and not disappointing his grandfather.

The street slowly floods with color. Damian becomes distracted and careless as he watches the colors deepen around him. Where once there were clothes and lights and signs with subtle differences there are now shocking colors. Between the soft blue of the sky and the dark green of his jacket Damian can't keep his head in the game.

He pays for this as someone jostles him and he ends up getting a knife to shoulder after blocking it at the last moment. Damian does not ask his mother what color blood is supposed to be.

*******

Marinette didn't think she could be more upset with her soulmate bond but then Lila Rossi came to school. When the girl found out that Marinette designed things without being able to see color she knew exactly how to make her miserable.

Why did no one tell Marinette that the colors of her new shirt clashed horribly? How did she expect to impress Gabriel and Style Queen if she couldn't tell the difference between blue and purple? That red romper makes you look sickly, Marinette. Pink makes you look childish. Blue is a really depressing color for me - why would you wear it?

Lila made all these comments under the guise and concern of a friend, of course. 

But the thing that stung greatly were Lila's comments about Ladybug's suit. Marinette had made the mistake of confiding in Alya that she loved the fact that Ladybug's suit was red. 

"Oh Marinette! Red is such a tacky color and Ladybug looks so out of place."

"Her outfit is just as ridiculous as Queen Bee's."

"How does Ladybug expect to be effective if she draws attention to herself with that color."

It went on and on. Marinette tried to ignore it as best she could. But then it got worse. Because Adrien's are eyes are green and she'll never really be able to see them. She knows she has a soulmate and she knows Adrien has a soulmate. But he's sweet and encouraging and agrees that Ladybug's suit it really pretty. 

********

His brothers are irritating. Grayson is such a romantic and never shuts up about the music he hears from his soulmate. Drake gets embarrassingly dreamy when he looks at his half of his soulmate tattoo. Even Bruce, his father, gets red around the ears when Selina talks about their bond. Damian is adept at tuning this one out.

Todd seems to be the only one that shares his distaste for openly discussing the bonds. He doesn't know what Todd's bond is or if it was broken when he died. Damian tries not to think about it himself.

Is he sad at the idea that his soulmate bond might be broken after his death and resurrection? 

If he's being honest, yes.

The idea that the one person in the universe that is meant to be on his side might no longer be his at all is depressing. He feels guilty that his soulmate has probably suffered because of him. Someone out there is likely doomed to never see color again and it's his fault. 

Damian has secretly held onto the memory of seeing the world come to life. He has tried to hold the exact shade of his mother's eyes in his mind. For all her faults, she tried to do what she thought was best. And while he tries to recall the vibrant shade of green from the trees he also tries to forget how wrong it looked - to see the grey of his blood spill out onto the warm tan color of his skin.

******

Ladybug is relieved when Wonder Woman agrees to discuss the situation in Paris with her. Marinette is so overwhelmed and Chat Noir's civilian life is practically strangling him. Master Fu is gone and they need help. 

Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman are eager to assist and Ladybug has to talk them down from immediately entering Paris. Akumas and amoks are hard enough without them being powerful beforehand.

They all agree that someone from Batman's team is their best option. 

Marinette did not expect Nightwing and Robin to cause so many problems.

*******

The first problem happens when Robin and Nightwing arrive in Paris. Marinette does not imagine it's coincidence that the colors return in the same week the vigilantes are supposed to arrive.

They fluctuate throughout the week and Marinette is torn between tracking the time and place for the changes or ignoring it. The fact they Ladybug has only met Nightwing is telling her a lot.

She mostly succeeds in not thinking about until the next akuma.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had made it clear that the vigilantes should not get involved unless absolutely necessary and they are surprisingly ready to comply.

They chase the akuma all over Paris and Ladybug slips up when she can suddenly see the akuma in all it's glory. The color scheme is absolutely atrocious. People tend not to openly criticize a victims akumatized form. But good God this one is an eyesore.

She crashes to the street and scrambles to return to the rooftop as the colors intensify. They say the closer you get to your soulmate the colors will become so overwhelming that the world will go white - like staring at the sun - until they manage to make physical contact with one another.

Ladybug cannot afford to be blinded while fighting an akuma. 

Chat Noir and her barely succeed and it forces Ladybug to confide in him about her bond. They have only discussed this kind of thing in the broadest of terms. True to his nature, Chat Noir is excited for her. He'd already seen her awe when she examined her suit in color for the first time.

She does not mention her suspicion that Robin could be her soulmate and he doesn't mention that he agrees.

*****

Dick is very suspicion of Damian's behavior since arriving in Paris. He has refused to go out much and abruptly abandoned the first meeting with Ladybug before they even got to the location. He's tempted to say Damian is scared but he can't remember a single instance of him exhibiting fear.

Until their first akuma. Dick had managed to chase Damian out of the apartment with threats of duck taping him to the couch to watch a Disney movie. 

They had been looking for a place to eat when the akuma comes barreling down the street - chasing Ladybug and Chat Noir. Damian curses and stumbles blindly into the nearest alley. Dick is torn between following his brother and being concerned when Ladybug crashes down into the street. She takes off quickly in the opposite direction appearing to shield her eyes from the sun - making his decision for him.

Dick is not surprised by Damian's anger and curt replies but by his brothers shaking hands. His concern only grows when he gets a good look at Damian's face - wide eyes darting around in fear. His questions are only met with his brothers eyes fixing on his own and a surprised exclamation that Dick's eyes are blue.

******


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the sweet comments! It really means a lot to me and helped me finish this. 
> 
> I don't plan on doing more but it is a story I really love and may add small pieces to. So, after this chapter (if there are more) they will be out of order.
> 
> You guys are the best ❤️

Having ducked out of their meeting with Ladybug and Chat Noir, Damian has no idea what Ladybug is like. He has too much pride to ask Grayson about her and is still unsure if she is the one or not.

It's plausible that Ladybug and his soulmate happen to be in the area any time the bond becomes active. But it's not very likely.

He wonders if she's sharp enough to connect the arrival of Nightwing and Robin with the active state in their bond. Damian doesn't know if he hopes she is or not.

There are a whole lot of maybes and hopefullys rolling around in his head, and it hurts. Does he want her to have it figured out already? Or does he want time to adjust to the idea of his soulmate being here in Paris? And what if it isn't Ladybug? Is she strong enough for his past?

**

Marinette expects this Monday morning to be the same as any other. She gets to school early and spends time with he friends. She leaves to go to class early when Lila starts her games. And she enjoys a few moments of sketching in her seat at the back of the room before classes starts. Easy, right?

And for the most part it is. But the bell rings for all classes to start and when she looks up from her sketchbook she gasps. Marinette had missed the colors appearing while she was in the zone - the white pages and grey graphite lines keeping her focused. 

In front of her is Kim in his red sweater and then Alix with her cool pink hair. And wow, yellow really is Chloe's color but why does Sabrina's colors look so off. 

She's going to be useless today as she can't keep her eyes still. All of these colors make her feel so inspired she's practically vibrating with excitement. Tikki's quiet giggles reach her ears and Marinette can't resist staring at the beautiful red kwami.

Marinette does her best to stay focused on school. Miss Bustier would probably be understanding but Lila would not and she doesn't want this spoiled. 

Eventually lunchtime arrives and Marinette is suddenly nervous. Everyone will see the moment they meet. What if he doesn't like her? What if she makes a fool of herself? What if - akuma.

Hawkmoth ruins everything.

*

It's a good thing Damian already knows most of what his teacher is lecturing on. He knew it was likely that the colors would manifest again at school. He expected it but is still affected by them. 

It's almost too much - seeing the people around him in full color. Well, almost full color. 

He had barely made it through all of Grayson's interrogation. The man was relentless and ecstatic at the confirmation of Damian's soulmate bond. He is also of the opinion that his soulmate is Ladybug. The luck and the rightness of it makes Grayson unbearably giddy.

As classes break for lunch Damian begins to feel apprehensive. He doesn't want to meet her, his soulmate, in front of all these people. Relief floods his mind as the colors begin to fade, it means he gets more time. 

Relief turns to dread, however, when the school's akuma alarm rings through the halls. He manages to find a ground floor window before anyone tries to 'protect the new kid'. The colors have completely disappeared and Damian takes that a sign he has time to find a good vantage point. 

Near the school there is a bakery and at the top he can see a small balcony with plants. Before too long he's scaled the building and is scanning the skyline for any indication of the fight. 

When the swarm of ladybugs sweep across Paris he knows he missed it. Damian scales back down the building to head inside - it's still lunchtime.

*  
Marinette just barley remembers to go through the front door and not head straight to her balcony. The colors had been getting stronger the closer she got to home and now they're almost blinding. She stops just outside to see if they'll fade any time soon. 

The park near her home is dotted with bright pops of flowers but the grass and trees are still grey. This doesn't stop her from admiring it though.

There are people in the park, including her classmates, and Marinette can't tear her eyes away from them. Some in skirts, others in jeans and slacks, sweaters and button ups and all in (mostly) beautiful hues. 

But the colors intensify and right when the world goes blindingly white she hears the tinkling of the shop bell. She almost trips in an attempt to move out of the way but a warm hand steadies her.

*

Damian had been watching the display case of sweets come to life with color. He never thought cookies could be so many different colors. Some of the trays are lined with small bright macarons in every hue and flavor. Others trays hold warm brown croissants, pain au chocolat, and brioche. 

The woman behind the counter mercifully helps him out. Damian has never had a problem deciding what he wants, he's never hesitated like this. She starts filling a small pink box with different items and Damian takes the opportunity to look around.

Outside the window he can see a girl looking around, seemingly just as lost as him. Her short dark pigtails give her away and his hands start to sweat. 

He watches her watch the people in the park but the light is too bright to be able to see her face clearly.

Before he can lose his nerve he goes through the door with his box of pastries. The light is blinding outside and he senses her trip but he catches her wrist before she can fall.

Her eyes are impossibly blue. Grayson's had been light like the sky but hers are deep. Damian wonders if it's the same color as the ocean. It feels like he's like sinking into deep water, pulling him into their depths.

The longer they stare at each other the pinker her cheeks become. And then they turn rosy red and make her freckles disappear. The vision of her leaves him breathless.

**

Marinette can feel her cheeks continue to heat and thinks she might combust. His eyes are a deep dark green and she can't look away. His gaze was sharp at first and it quickly softened before changing again.

After what feels like a lifetime she realizes he almost looks scared. So she gives him a gentle smile and slides her hand into his. Her smile widens when he threads his fingers through hers and gives her a small smile in return.

Wordlessly they find a quiet spot in the park to sit and Damian offers up the box of pastries to share.

They have so much to talk about but everything is warm and bright and perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Let me know what you think 🙂


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't know where this is going but it makes me happy.
> 
> Thank you for reading ❤️

In the grass sits the mostly empty box of treats, long forgotten. Ever the chatterbox, Marinette can't stop her excitement over every thing she sees and feels. How the grass isn't just green but a gently shifting tide of yellow and green as the clouds drift high over their heads. She's overcome with giddiness to feel the smooth clasp of her purse and watch the gold shimmer in the light.

Marinette is transfixed when she catches the maroon of his shirt. Damian had unzipped his sweater as the spring sun shone upon their patch of grass. Her gaze had zeroed in on the color. The hue is so deep and rich it makes her fingers itch with the need to create. 

She decided she loves the color and blushes when she realizes the collar of his shirt is between her fingers. Damian is distinctly uncomfortable with the sudden contact and Marinette apologizes profusely - snatching her hand away and holding it to her chest. He learns that she is single-minded in satisfying her curiosity and she learns that he is adverse to physical touch unless it's explicitly given. 

There are unshed tears in her eyes and he can see the anxiety growing by the second. Damian picks up the hand that had been fondling his shirt and squeezes her fingers gently. Marinette is so soft and sincere and he never wants to give her any reason to be unsure of herself - or of him.

Damian admits that he likes her touch but the stimulation is too much right now. He's taking everything in, taking her in, and feeling their bond thrum pleasantly. At his words she stops to feel it too. It's very subtly but hums in the back of her mind and brings her peace.

Eventually, Marinette lays back on the grass. Her Maman knew exactly where she was and had her excused from afternoon classes. Damian seems unconcerned about missing school and she doesn't pry. 

She can feel Damian studying her openly and she observes him from under her lashes. His expression is impassive with a small frown as an afterthought, a reflex. Does he always look this way? Why? 

Marinette thought he was mad at her at first but she can feel his fingers stroking hers, he has yet to let go of her hand. He's been running his calloused fingertips up and down her knuckles as he follows the natural dips and curves. When his fingers still she turns her hand over and offers up her palm for the same treatment. 

She blushes deeply as he continues these tiny intimate touches. 

Damian catches her watching him and feels his cheeks heat. His frown turns into a scowl but he doesn't pull away. She's smiling at him and biting her lip - she's happy. He did that. He made her happy.

They're existing in a small bubble of tranquility. It will pop at any moment. There will be tough secrets to share and hard truths to swallow. But they are holding out as long as possible. It's over too soon.

Classes are let out and Marinette freezes at the sound of familiar voices. Damian watches her take a deep stabling breath - the kind he takes each time someone approaches him for attention. She sits up slowly but stiffly and he can tell the movement is meant to be nonchalant.

Whatever she's expecting it is not the offer to be introduced to his brother.

**Author's Note:**

> I promise I am working on my other stories but I just don't have the inspiration right now. I would rather give you something new than something half-hearted.
> 
> Thank you ❤️


End file.
